Welcome Home
by Iamtheonlyone
Summary: DH spoilers! The rest of George’s life: How, Why and Who.


_I wanted to write something about George after Fred because I'm so sad about Fred dying. I also wanted to try and explore what I think the more serious side of the twins would be and what better way to do that than love! Sadie's character is a combination of myself and some other people that I know. I had to work around a lot of plot/general Harry Potter stuff and this is my very first fic so hang in there with me. All comments are welcome and appreciated. Thanks for reading!_

_I dont own any of these characters, except for Sadie, they belong to J.K. Rowling._

**Welcome Back.**

I've been friends with George Wealsey since I was eleven, we met our first year at Hogwarts. He, Fred, Lee and myself were best friends, but it was always a little different for me, being a girl and all. They were amazing though, they always understood and were never horrible to me like teenage boys can be to teenage girls. I think that was what brought me to them, I could tell they were different from the moment I laid eyes on the trio after stepping down from the stool the sorting hat was on (Hawkins, Sadie "GRYFFINDOR") they hadn't been sorted yet but the twins were whispering quickly to a Lee trying to stifle his laughter. I rolled my eyes and sat down at the table hoping they wouldn't be in Gryffindor. To my dismay they were all sorted into my house and sat down, Fred next to me, George and Lee across the table. Fred grinned that grin that would become famous in my eyes and asked my name, I obliged and told him I was Sadie.

After three years, Fred and I started dating. We never heard the end of it from George and Lee, it was only for the sake of laughter though and we didn't really mind. We carried on like that until our seventh year when Fred and George decided to leave. It was late and the three of us were still up in the common room, naturally, I was the only one doing my homework, Fred, George and Lee were only there to keep me company and try to talk me out of finishing my essay for Umbridge. "She's such an old hag! Come on Sadie, why are you still doing that essay?" George whined at me from an armchair in front of the fire.

"Because I, unlike _some_ people I know, actually care about my grades. Hag or not she's still got part of my future in her hands." I retorted without looking up from my essay.

"Oh come off it," Fred said, "we already told you we wanted you to work at the Joke Shop with us." He reached over from next to me and pulled the quill out of my hand. I glared at him and he raised his eyebrows at me in a what-are-you-going-to-do-about-it? way.

"Lee did his essay. Didn't you Lee?" I said looking over at him and smirking slightly. "And you thought I didn't know. Well go on then, tell them you did it too!"

Lee rolled his eyes and mumbled "Yeah I did it. So what?" I smiled triumphantly pulling a quill out of my bag and made to continue writing but Fred stopped me again.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked, his eyes suddenly serious.

"Look, if its about this idiot," I said pointing a finger nonchalantly in Lee's direction, "I didn't mean anything by it, I just think you should pick on everyone equally."

"It isn't about that." He replied, "Can I just talk to you, please?" He said please and I knew he was serious so I stood up and offered him my hand, he took it and led me to the portrait hole.

Once we had gotten out and away from Gryffindor Tower he stopped walking and sat down, back against one of the castle walls. I hesitated for a second and then sat down next to him. "Fred what's going on? Wh-"

He cut me off. "George and I are leaving."

"What do you mean leaving?" I asked tentatively, "You can't actually be leaving, you've the whole rest of the year to finish! I don't care what you said before, school is one of those things you get done no matter what.'

"We don't care about school anymore. We've really been meaning to get out of here for awhile but I didn't want to leave without causing a bit of trouble first." He said, looking away from me.

"Have you told Lee?" It was the only thing I could think to ask. "What are you really trying to say?" I asked before he could answer.

"I don't know really," He looked back at me, "I didn't ever really think that this thing with you and me would end up meaning as much as it does. I just didn't want to have you thinking I was running out on you, because I'm not."

"I know you aren't." I replied.

Our conversation went on for a little more than an hour. We sat where we were and talked about what the future held for us. We agreed I would work at the Joke Shop after I finished school and Fred reluctantly agreed that the arrangement didn't have to be permanent "I just wish you would stay and help us. You know you can always work there." He said. I told him I knew that.

"Why are we talking like this is the end of us?" I asked, the idea had suddenly hit me that it sounded like we were saying permanent goodbyes.

"I…you think we can keep this up? Being so far apart and all?"

"Fred, I think we could keep this up even if we were worlds apart. I...I know it sounds cheesy and all, but…I love you, Fred. I always want to be with you." He looked up at me like he was surprised, like he didn't think I would say that.

"I love you." He replied. We stood up and walked hand in hand back to Gryffindor Tower. When we reached the Fat Lady he grabbed me suddenly and hugged me. With his head resting gently against mine he whispered into my ear, "Sadie, will you marry me after you finish school?" Surprised I pulled away slightly.

"Of course I will, Fred Weasley. Of course I will." He smiled and kissed me sweetly.

George was the only person we told until we officially announced it the month after I got out of Hogwarts.

The wedding is mostly a blur in my memory, the thing I remember most is holding hands with Fred and telling him I would be with him until the time came that we would be apart, that I would love him always, even through that, even through death.

We lived that perfect, married life for two years, in the flat above the shop with George. I never had my different career, I worked in the shop with the two men I loved most in the world, my husband and our best friend, his twin, his perfect mirror image. Lee had gone on to other things, he would drop by and say hello often enough so that we weren't awkward, but things were never the same with the four of us. He became an infrequent character in our lives.

After the war started and we went into hiding, at the Burrow and at Fred and George's Aunt Muriel's things started to change. More so than being on the brink of an inevitable war changes things, fear for those you love changes things. It was all I could do not to scream while I waited at the Burrow with Molly and Ginny, twisting my wedding band around and around my finger, staring at Molly's clock and shaking with fear as none of the hands stirred from "Mortal Peril". Then seeing George bleeding on the couch, trying to keep my focus on him for his sake but all the while wanting nothing more than to see Fred walk through the door. And when Fred finally came, watching his eyes fill with fear for his twin I selfishly only wanted him for myself, to feel his arms around me and hear his voice telling me that it was alright. I breathed a sigh of relief only when George said he was Saint-like, I knew then that their jokes would always be constant, even when the twins were not. I could breathe again. Breathe, and feel Fred's fingers around my own.

The night of the Battle of Hogwarts I was less afraid for the twins than I had been since we had had to leave the Shop. I was confident in them and their abilities and I was confident in Harry, I had known him too long not to be. He would defeat Voldemort, I wasn't afraid to say the name anymore because I knew we would win, I knew there was nothing left to be afraid of. But I was wrong. When His voice sounded through the castle telling us we had one hour to dispose of our dead and treat our wounded fear caught itself in my throat. I realized that I didn't know where either of them were, we had been separated during the fight and to go searching for someone was madness. There was too much going on and all I could see was smoke. Somehow, I found my way to the Great Hall. My eyes searched the vast room for red hair, any Weasley's, all I needed to know was where they were, where Fred was, who had seen them last.

When I first found them, I didn't know what to feel. There was Fred, right in front of me lying on the stone floor, unmoving and silent. I started to walk forward and when I kneeled down next to George, I knew what I felt. I stood back up and walked away. I remember screaming into the gentle silence that filled the hall. I remember calling for Fred, asking him to come back and telling him he wasn't being funny this time. I remember George wrapping his arms around me and telling me to stop, telling me to walk, move, come with him, get out of the hall, get away. I threw up in the entrance hall and fell shaking to the floor, George was next to me and was crying with me. After a minute or so I managed to quiet my sobs and reached over for George, grabbing the front of his robes and pulling his face close to mine. "Georgie," I said, staring into his eyes and forcing him to do the same, "Georgie, don't leave me. Don't ever leave me, and I wont ever leave you." He looked at me, his eyes filled with tears and when they started to spill down his cheeks he nodded at me and that was all it took. I knew I would never be without him and he knew the same of me. I at the very least could always cover his good ear with my hand and pretend, but he would always be without Fred, and I told him I would do my best to fill the hole that I knew became a part of him then. He smiled and said thank you, leaning over to hug me and cry quietly against my shoulder.

We finished fighting that night, we hugged Harry along with everyone else and we stayed with the family until we couldn't handle their presence any longer and then left. We walked to the edge of the Hogwarts grounds and, without speaking a word, turned on the spot and apparated back to the flat. Together, we made our way to the room Fred and I had shared and laid in the bed until we both fell asleep.

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It's been three years to the day since that night. George and I are sitting on the couch in our flat, it's Sunday morning and we're both reading. George has an old copy of _The Daily Prophet _that lists the names of everyone who died that night and includes pictures and I'm reading a silly love-story novel that Rita Skeeter wrote and had published a couple of months ago, its dreadful but still, I read on.

I wonder to myself if Rita wishes her life was like her novel and laugh. George turns to me and raises his eyebrows. "That good?" He asks.

"Hardly," I reply, giggling slightly, "I always thought practice made perfect, but after reading this I'm not so sure. She's had plenty of practice with writing, this one, but she never gets any better."

"Well I don't know what you were expecting." He says and goes back to his paper.

I watch him read for a minute and then wonder if we've done the right thing, George and I. "Three years is a long time, but do you think its time enough?" I ask him. He looks at me, and I can tell he's trying to work out what I mean. I see the realization dawn on his face.

"I didn't expect them to understand entirely, but then, they never really did get Fred and I so it's alright."

"But I'm not Fred." I say, wanting his full attention and getting it. He sets his paper down and studies me.

He grins slightly. "Well good thing then, considering I wouldn't marry my brother. Well," he scrunches up his face a little, "he did look rather pretty in that one dress of Auntie Muriel's, so I suppose if he were wearing that…" He trails off realizing I'm not finding his jokes funny. "Look, they don't have to understand. As long as we know why we've decided to get married that's all that really matters."

I study him for a minute and then ask what's been on my mind for sometime, "But why are we getting married, George? Can I really have married both of you?"

He grins, in earnest this time, "We're getting married for Fred." He says simply, "Because we both love and miss him."

He says this with such certainty that all my fears are quieted and all I can do is smile at him.

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I remember the wedding much better this time. My dress of silver and George in brand new dress robes of pure black. Hermione and Ginny standing beside me in dresses of flowing purple and Ron and Charlie in robes to match George. I remember Molly crying and hugging me and telling me she was happy, so happy. I remember wondering if her happiness was half as much as mine.

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Six months have passed since the wedding. It's the middle of October and George and I are lying in bed, he's still asleep but I've been awake for some time. I'm too comfortable to want to move but I know I should get up and ready to open the Shop soon.. Trying not to wake him I turn over so I can see out the window. It's a gray morning, it feels distinctly like October should feel, the sun is struggling to shine through the low-hanging clouds but its not gloomy. I yawn and get out of bed, George stirs but doesn't wake as I step through the door leading to the bathroom. Yawning again I stand in front of the sink to get a good look at myself in the mirror, morning faces have never been my forte, but I always like to see what I look like fresh out of bed. Something isn't the same this morning, I look different in a very subtle way, like I've aged just enough over night to make a difference. I shrug it off and turn on the water to shower, but when I step into the tub my head spins and I almost fall, I know something is different now. I turn off the water and get out of shower. Reaching for my shirt, my hand outstretched, I suddenly understand. I struggle, still slightly damp, back into my clothes and scream for George.

"George! GEORGE! Wake up! George!" I fling the door open and burst into our room. George is standing there, his wand raised in my direction, looking alarmed.

"What's going on?" He asks frantically, he takes a step closer to me, "What the bloody hell are you screaming about?"

"George…I…I'm," I stutter, he lowers his wand and takes another step toward me.

"Are you alright? Is everything okay?" He looks concerned now.

"More than okay Georgie," A smile spreads across my face, "I'm pregnant."

His eyes grow wide and he smiles too, I nod encouragingly at him and can tell he's thinking the same thing as me. "What should we name him?" He asks, and I laugh, throwing myself into his arms.

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It's the middle of July and I'm in a bed at St. Mungo's surrounded by the Weasleys. George is sitting on the edge of my bed, "You're amazing. You're fantastic. You're wonderful. You're beautiful. There aren't enough positive adjectives to describe you." I smile weakly, I've never been this exhausted in my life but it's a strangely satisfying feeling. A nurse walks in, she's holding a small, blue bundle in her arms, "It's a boy," she says to us, "What do you want to name him?"

I look at George and he looks at me. "Fred," we reply in unison.

"Very good," says the nurse in a business like way, "Would you like to hold him?" She asks this but is already handing him to me. He's tiny, but he's perfect, a smiling little boy in my arms with a tuft of bright red hair and shining eyes. George laughs triumphantly and leaps out of his chair to hug everyone in the room. I can hear laughter and Molly crying muffled tears of joy into Arthur's shoulder.

I hold Fred slightly tighter in my arms and lean over him so only he can hear me and I whisper "Welcome back, Fred Weasley. Welcome back." He giggles at me and reaches up one little hand to grab at my face, I take it in my own hand and kiss the back of it. George is standing next to me again and I hand him Fred. I watch him affectionately push a strand of red hair off of the little boy's face.

I smile and think of how wonderful it is to have both of my twins back again.


End file.
